Yesterday's dinner sure dirtied a lot of dishes! Despite the caramelized onions I had already prepared, there were still scads of mushrooms to chop, squash to cut into wedges, chicken to season, and citrus to juice and zest for the Mushroom-Sherry Soup. Oh, and I had to make a new batch of Maple Applesauce, too, since we'd run out of our first batch. Needless to say, the kitchen was a bit chaotic, and I was lucky not to have too much else on my plate after 5pm. However, it did mean I was a little more brusque than I wanted to be when my mother called. I have already sent out an apologetic email (sorry, Mom!).

We started the day with ten-grain cereal with blueberries and walnuts, which those of you following the plan are quite familiar with by now. Though I crave variety in my diet, I'm actually happy to have a limited repertoire in the morning--my brain isn't ready for much stimulation in the early hours.

I worked in a run midday, and the mountains that surround our city were capped in snowy glory. Though this plan is officially about food, it seems natural to use this time of resolve to become consistent with exercise again. Just as we're trying to find the fun in healthy eating by garnishing a dish with crackly pumpkin seeds or flavoring it with fresh herbs, you can find new life in your exercise routine by picking up a new class or finding a new running buddy. With that attitude, I've stuck to five days of activity per week since the start of the year (which, I realize, isn't all that long ago...).

After my jaunt, I was eager to eat lunch. I sliced yesterday's pork tenderloin and tossed it with arugula leaves, pomegranates, and almonds--very satisfying. One of the successes of this cleanse has been getting me in the habit of eating a hearty salad for lunch (I am a devoted sandwich lover). It's healthy, of course, but it also takes some time to eat, which in turn makes the meal seem more substantial. And having the right ingredients on hand--the dressing, a batch of pre-rinsed greens--makes it feel like I have my own salad bar at home. Those of you who have cafeterias in your offices already have this option, but you may want to smuggle in a favorite homemade vinaigrette to jazz things up.

As for that slightly chaotic dinner: the soup tasted uncannily rich and sweet, and I was grateful for that little zing of balsamic vinegar on the squash. Balsamic is a brilliant sweet and tart counterpoint to sweet roasted veggies and onions--one of those classic flavor combinations. For the main course, I reluctantly pulled the skin off my chicken breast and cut the 9-ounce mega piece into something closer to 5 ounces. (Marissa's general guidelines for meat, you'll remember are a fist-sized 3-6 ounces.) My husband kept his skin on, by the way, as I'm pretty sure I would have in any other circumstance. But the zingy citrus sauce reminded me of my mother, who made terrific lemon chicken all throughout my childhood, and it helped soothe my longing for that crispy skin. I need to call her first thing tomorrow to say I'm sorry--and thanks for all the chicken.

Note: If you are just now finding out about the cleanse, not to worry. It's a two-week healthy eating plan that you can start any time that's convenient for your schedule.

Sara Dickerman is a Seattle-based food writer. A former restaurant cook, she is a contributor to publications like Slate, Saveur, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal*, and* Sunset*. You can find more of her work at* saradickerman.com